The GibbsCAM NC programming system for MTM allows manufacturers to safely and efficiently program the most advanced and sophisticated multi-tasking machines with multiple turrets and spindles. It fully supports multiple flows and all of the functions of both standard and Swiss style multi-task machines, including sub-spindles, live tooling, multiple turrets doing simultaneous machining, Y-axis on all turrets, thread whirling, B-axis turning, B-axis milling with Y offset, full 4- and 5-axis simultaneous machining, and synchronization to optimize turret utilization and cycle times. Furthermore, Gibbs creates unique post processors for each machine and control combination, based upon MTM machine parameters and customer preferences, ensuring that each post processor is optimized for each customer's requirements. Gibbs has delivered nearly 1,000 unique post processors for both standard and Swiss style MTM machines, including the most complex machines from Citizen, Doosan, Mazak, Mori Seiki, Star CNC and Tornos.

"Our continued collaboration with machine-tool builders and other partners, in satisfying customer requirements, has kept us at the forefront of MTM and Swiss machine CNC programming software," says Bill Gibbs, founder and president of Gibbs and Associates. "Staying current with the multiple variations, multi-axis combinations and inherent complexity of these machines is a primary requirement for us. Knowing what tool and control builders are doing enables us to deliver software tools for programming, synchronization, toolpath verification and machine simulation that make customers as productive and profitable as their machines and processes will allow."

Standard features of GibbsCAM are an easy-to-use and simple-to-navigate user interface with language and icons familiar to programmers and machinists, the capability to program the most complex machining processes, and the flexibility to allow user-preferred approaches to jobs, with options that are logical to programmers. Additional features of great importance to MTM programmers are integration of turning, milling and utility operations; synchronization of turrets and spindles; and a summary of operations.

GibbsCAM integrates turning, milling and utility operations, so the user can move back and forth from turning to milling to utility operations, at any time, with simple mouse clicks. Integration enables programming operations in proper sequence, without leaving the software, so that trouble-shooting a program is usually nothing more than optimization.

For visualization and toolpath verification, GibbsCAM includes Cut Part Rendering, which displays material removal whenever the programmer generates a toolpath, which can be verified in process, allowing the programmer to correct errors incrementally. The visual state of a part after each operation becomes stock for the next, as if the part were being machined. A part transferred to the sub-spindle is displayed with all prior, main-spindle operations completed, so the material removal display is accurate at every stage. In addition, GibbsCAM's machine simulation option allows users to simulate both the part being machined and all motion of the machine's moving components.

For machine synchronization and optimization, GibbsCAM MTM's Sync Manager displays operations being machined on each turret and spindle, thereby allowing users to interactively optimize machine time. Sync Manager is especially useful for production runs where program optimization multiplies savings across thousands of parts. It allows automatic synchronization to prevent conflicts, and permits interactive wait-code insertion, with automatic checks and alerts for conflicts. GibbsCAM also accommodates use of machining patterns or machine modes, by allowing selection of the required utility, also allowing the programmer to insert a code within a flow, and automatically synchronizing the program with wait codes at the corresponding locations in the other flows.

GibbsCAM's Operations Summary displays tool parameters and machining time for each operation, and a total cycle time, useful in locating lengthy operations for further optimization. Once programs are optimized, data from the Operations Summary is often used to estimate jobs, gauge machine and operator productivity, and even develop time-based incentives for machine operators.

All GibbsCAM software is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The 64-bit version enables users to work with much larger files and to achieve faster and more accurate results with certain graphic, toolpath generation and post processing functions. It also provides higher efficiency and accuracy in evaluating machining operations with toolpath rendering and machine simulation, and provides full compatibility with 64-bit CAD systems, such as SolidWorks, Solid Edge and Autodesk Inventor. GibbsCAM is compatible with Windows 7.